Predictive policing uses algorithms to predict where crime will occur and sends extra law enforcement patrols into those neighborhoods. The police processes historical data through a computer program and determines "hot spots" based on modeling by social anthropologists.

Reason.com asks, "How might predictive policing interfere with the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment guarantee that Americans are to be free unreasonable searches and seizures?" Reason.com claims to provide an alternative to right-wing and left-wing opinions with its focus on liberty and individual choice. Ronald Bailey's article discusses the benefits (less crime, more efficient law enforcement) and costs (possible violation of Civil Rights?). REASON.COM reports:Predictive policing helps police protect citizens. It could also be used to oppress them.

Top Opinion

hmmm, slowly edge our way into an Orwellian nightmare shall we? Haven't we been told that slow, metered, indoctrination causes us to not notice societal changes or ask questions? 1920's Germany experienced the same thing....the gov. said "every self-respecting German citizen will be proud to register their guns", then when it became time for Hitler to bring the hammer down it was a piece of cake for the Gestapo and SS to round up....they'd already been given the addresses and names.

Talk about a real-life acting out of the Minority Report, you might be arrested because an algorithm decided you would be, sorry but we have a Constitution that specifically and clearly states Innocent until PROVEN guilty, not suspect until preemptively apprehended.

Talk about a sign of the times, what's next death sentences by self-aware "predictive enforcement" drones?

After having spent a considerable amount of time working and just being in Philly, I do tend to agree to a point. I don't agree with the profiling end of it and harassment because of profiling. I do believe that the extra police presence is a deterrent to crime in those high crime areas.

There are a lot of strong minded courageous people out there that will stand up against tyranny that will reject giving unnecessary power to government that would be used maliciously against the people. Unfortunately there are also many cowardly people that are willing to give up their and everyone else’s freedoms in order to receive a false sense of security. Remember any power that can be abused will be abused.

I too share the concern of reason.com on unreasonable search and seizures. I noticed the word illegal, unconstitutional wasn't used. I'm concerned too about the algorithims. How were they decided. Concerned if they were based on race, ethnic backgrounds, income levels.

Crime is generally random in nature unless it is being controlled by gangs or "organized crime." Gangs and "organized crime" pay for the police to be otherwise engaged rather than being present in high crime areas. The algorithms will only help the criminals due to ever changing paradigm shifts.

Seems like not enough people have watch Orwells's 1984, or Minority Report.....& or those that have, are to far gone/indoctrinated to care (or too stupid to understand it). Don't forget to pick up the new edition of New-Speak.
"Citizen 87723B, do not worry. Your government is in control. The surgeon General has declared that free thinking is harmful to your health. Be a good citizen. Work, consume, question nothing & don't forget to take your mandatory "happy pill"

The idea is no different than having more police in high crime areas. It cuts down on crime. The problem is when cops go to these areas and treat everyone like they are a criminal. The problem isn't in the method, it's in the training of the law enforcers.

Predictive policing is not going to be able to predict "Random" acts of violence or crimes of passion and opportunistic crimes... and could give ppl a false sense of security believing they are being better protected.

As long as they aren't stopping and searching people there is nothing wrong with police being in areas which have high crime. They kinda do this already don't they? hmmm well the area where the gang activity and shoothouts are know to occure we are gonna have extra officers. Why do we need a computer? Searching random people is a vilolation of rights not just having cops in an area.

i think if we have tech available and dont use it, we can only blame ourselves when someone says, we have a cure but no one wants to use it. it wont be politically correct, you know. the hot spots are always going to be in a black or hispanic neighborhood and someone is going to scream that its profiling. so it probably wont be allowed.....

Playing into this Orwellian president's notion of control. I don't care who doesn't this. We have a bill of rights for a reason, whether it is drones, or predictive policing, law enforcement is not to be proactive, they need to remain a reactive entity.

Math and numbers can only help in so many areas of society; Hell, soon we'll be predicting exactly where the next major earthquake will strike, only for it to hit elsewhere and kill a bunch of unprepared people. I appreciate the effort but this isn't looking bright.

Are the Police so unable to use logic that they need computers? High crime areas are going to change through time, so the police will simply be chasing crime areas around with little results, and Isn't that what they have been doing? Also, when the Cops are all in high crime areas and someone robs a store in a low crime area, this is nonproductive. Patrolling is the only way to respond to activity because accidents and crimes happen all over, and most of the time you can't stop them you can only respond to them. I think the motto is to Serve and protect, not to monitor and oppress. Next they'll have low income civilians wearing big yellow stars on there cloths so they can keep an eye on them.

I think it can be a useful tool, just like PROFILING. Presumably it would only oppress those commiting crimes. This is sort of like "the machine" in Person of Interest, but used to stop crimes, not just terrorism.

They mean blacks and Spanish people communities. This is just another type of Profiling GOD has 9/11 really waken all of u who voted that this is helpful or do u guys just work for the New World Order? AMERICA land of the free well geez I sure don't feel free now a days. They the shadow government and greedy ass holes. want to control every aspect of ur life cuz they are on this crazy GOD COMPLEX Trip. Also we the Citizens should practice the right to bear arms....then we wont have to pay drug dealing cops. Now not all cops are bad but a good bit of them are two face snakes. I had several family members who were cops and two were awful at their job and one of the two is doing time. Anyway so yup this is stupid and it would just promote riots and civil war. 2014 would be the end of america as we know it and that sucks. More so once they set up that Anti Pirate crap for the web.

America is now the least free Nation on Earth. Don't believe it? According to recent studies, the average American adult commits at least 3 felonies every DAY. Last year alone, the Feds passed over 88,000 new laws without repealing a single one. Imagine what that number would be if you added all the States, counties and cities' new laws! Ignorance is no excuse? No one in America could possibly know even 10% of the laws that apply to them.

America has only 5% of the world's population and yet we have 25% of all the people incarcerated on the planet.

Since the passage of NDAA 2012, the President can now put any citizen in a military jail FOREVER without a trial, access to a lawyer or even formal charges being filed against them.Only the most draconian dictatorships on Earth can do that to their citizens.

I think all the conspiracy theorists need to take a step back and relax (and perhaps put down their copies of 1984). This is a standardized and systematic realization of something that police forces have been doing since their inception -- ping WHERE they are needed. If there's a spike in crime at a specific location, additional patrols in that sector are made. That is all this technology appears to be eliciting. No where did I read that this technology will be used to predict WHO will be doing the crimes -- we don't have a set of triplets sleeping in a fish tank under the white house. This is a simple algorithm to take various environmental and historical variables into account when determining where our police officers and possibly even EMS and fire could benefit their citizens the most.

I would like to make it clear that we are already doing this to varying degrees across the country -- a standardized computer system would help remove arbitrariness or personal bias inherent in current decision making (made manually by people).

Computers can recognize and adapt on new trends much quicker than humans. Especially since humans are susceptible to personal prejudice and stereotyping. I think this system is more fair and in less violation of the constitution than current efforts.
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I think all the conspiracy theorists need to take a step back and relax (and perhaps put down their copies of 1984). This is a standardized and systematic realization of something that police forces have been doing since their inception -- ping WHERE they are needed. If there's a spike in crime at a specific location, additional patrols in that sector are made. That is all this technology appears to be eliciting. No where did I read that this technology will be used to predict WHO will be doing the crimes -- we don't have a set of triplets sleeping in a fish tank under the white house. This is a simple algorithm to take various environmental and historical variables into account when determining where our police officers and possibly even EMS and fire could benefit their citizens the most.

I would like to make it clear that we are already doing this to varying degrees across the country -- a standardized computer system would help remove arbitrariness or personal bias inherent in current decision making (made manually by people).

Computers can recognize and adapt on new trends much quicker than humans. Especially since humans are susceptible to personal prejudice and stereotyping. I think this system is more fair and in less violation of the constitution than current efforts.

This has nothing to do with the 4th amendment -- no where does it say that this algorithm exempts pursuant officers from needing a search warrant. It's not like the algorithm is going to spit out a specific address (like your home), it's going to provide general sectors.

If you guys are really worried about protecting our rights, then try to repeal the PATRIOT act and make sure things like SOPA never become reality.

Man kind has, to varying degrees over the years, manged to control its masses with both stone and silicon tablets. From medieval kings to Hitler to modern Fascist leaders. It's all the same, technology has changed, but man has not evolved as much as it thinks.

Only those with possible guilt themselves would deny authorities another tool in their fight against crime! Oh yes, criminals don't worry at all about their constitutional rights unless it affects their way of doing business.... if it can be called that.

"Only those with possible guilt themselves would deny authorities another tool in their fight against crime!"

So those who try to prevent warrant-less wiretapping, or prevent searches without warrants, they're guilty of crimes because they prevent police from using the tool of having less restrictive access to people's lives?

That is what your logic allows, and helps demonstrate the reasoning as patently faulty.